Thursday, January 28, 2016

Stealth Saga #26: Just the Japanese

The Japanese unveiled their ATD-X demonstrator (link in Japanese) aircraft today (in english). They have dubbed it the X-2. First flight of the X-2 is expected by mid February. The X-2 dimensions are 14.2 meters long, 9.1 meters wide and 4.5 meters high (46'7", 29'12" & 14'9" for we Americans).

The X-2 aircraft is intended to be an 'X-plane' for the technologies needed for Japan to produce its own stealth fighter. They have dubbed that fighter the F-3 and intend on it replacing their F-2 fighters, the F-16 derivatives. This will complement, but not replace, the F-35s being bought by Japan as well.

Japan is moving ahead with the ATDX/X-2/F-3 program because they were unable to convince the US to sell them F-22s. In the 1990s, Congress banned foreign sales of the F-22.